Automatic extinguishing and disposing ash tray for automobiles



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Patented Nov. 24, 1953 AUTOMATIC EXTINGUISHING AND DISPOS- ING ASH TRAY FOR AUTOMOBILES Charles O. Endicott and Wallace W. Houser, Sr.,

l Huntington, Oreg.

Application August 8, 1952, Serial No. 303,228

2 Claims. (Cl. 131-237) l This invention relates to an automobile ash tray, and more particularly, has reference to an ash tray so formed as to automatically crush and dispose of a cigarette, cigar, or the like, responsive to closing of an ash drawer forming a component part of the device.

tion to operation of the vehicle.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a sliding drawer ash tray for automotive vehicles which will be so designed as to require merely that the cigarette be deposited upon a ledge, after which the ash drawer is closed. The closing of the ash drawer automatically results in extinguishing and disposition of the cigarette.

A further object of importance is to provide a device of the character stated which is so formed as to be capable of manufacture as a separate accessory and capable of being substituted for the average automotive vehicle ash tray without the necessity of modification or redesigning of the instrument panel of the vehicle.

Still another object of importance is to provide an ash tray of the character referred to which will be capable ofv manufacture at relatively low cost, thus to add considerably to its attractiveness from the standpoint of commercial production.

Yet another object is to provide an ash tray of the type stated which will automatically effect the crushing and disposal of the cigarette efficiently each time it is used, the construction which we have designed being such as to insure against faulty operation.

2 is mounted being illustrated fragmentarily and in perspective;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1, the dotted lines showing the position of the parts when the ash tray is closed;

Figure 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ledge and Crusher plate of the device.

The ash tray which we have devised is adapted to be mounted upon a conventionally formed automobile instrument panel l0 having the usual rectangular opening l2 in which there is ordinarily mounted an ash drawer in which the cigarette or cigar must be manually extinguished. In this connection, in different makes of vehicles, the ash drawer opening may vary inrespect to the configuration thereof, but as will be apparent from the description to be provided hereinafter, the particular form of the device can be correspondingly varied, without departure from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In any event, the opening Vl2 of the instrument panel is provided, throughout its periphery, with a flange M extending inwardly of the instrument panel (see Figure 2) The device constituting the present invention comprises three main parts, these being an ash drawer designated generally at I6, a ledge designated generally at I8, and a Crusher plate designated generally at 20.

The ash drawer will first be described, and as willV be noted, said ash drawer is of box-like formation, having a nat bottom wall 22. At the inner edge of the bottom wall 22, an inner end wall 2s is integrally formed thereon, and extends upwardly to close the drawer at its inner end. An outer end wall 25 is fixedly connected to the outer end edge of the bottom plate 22, extending upwardly from the bottom wall and being provided with a knob 27 which can be conveniently gripped by a user for moving the drawer inwardly and outwardly of the opening I2 of the instrument panel.

The ash drawer l5 has longitudinal ribs 28 secured to its side walls 29, said ribs extending, preferably, for thefull length of the ash drawer and being slidably engaged in guideways 3i! secured to opposite side portions of the flange It of the instrument panel.

Thus, the ash drawer I6 is guided in its movement between the full and dotted lines positions thereof shown in Figure 2.

The ledge I8 is mounted within the ash drawer,

J extending for substantially the full length of the same. The ledge includes a plate-like body 32, said body being flat and parallel to the bottom wall 22 of the ash drawer. 'I'he body 32 is spaced a substantial distance above and bottom wall 22, thus to afford a space between the ledge and bottom wall adapted to receive extinguished cigarettes, cigars 4Vor the `like.

Integrally formed upon the body A32, `andlextending upwardly from the opposite side edges of said body, are longitudinal flanges 34, said flanges extending for the full length of ,the ledge I8 as best shown in Figure 4. Op the upper .edges of the anges 34, we form outwardly extended, longitudinal lips 36, said lipsfoverlying and being xedly connected to the upper edges of the side walls 29 of the ash drawer LE. The llips -thus space the anges 34 inwardly of the side walls 29, as shown in Figure 3.

In the body 32, we form a large aperture 38, ,said aperture extending for substantially the full width of the body at one end thereof, and pro,- yiding a space through which the extinguished cigarette may `drop into .the ash drawer.

In the flanges 34 there are provided iongitudinal slots `40 closed at their opposite ends, vsaid slots being formed in those ends of the rflanges 34 remote from the aperture 38.

That end of the body 32 remote from the `aperture 38 is integrally formed with a down-curved end portion 42 (see Figure 4), the end portion 42 being integral with .a depending, longitudinally curved tongue 44 terminating at its lower end .in a ring 46.

The crusher plate vcomprises a flat plate member 48, at one end of'which is for-med an upwardly extended abutment er .lip 0- .Cain members 52 are xedly secured to the inner sur.- face of said l-ip, and to opposite sides of the plate lrnernleer V48 adiaeent A.tl-1e lip and having finelined -upper surfaces `terminating at their high ends slightly belew the upper 4erige ei tnewabutment 50.

At its other end, the plate member V1,8 has a rolled end edge 54, defining a transverse sleeve von the crusher plate disposed below the pila-,ne of said Crusher plate, said sleeve being adapted -to -reeeve a hinge ein 56- The .li-inse ein 56 has its opposite ends projecting beyond the opposite sides of the plate member .48, as shawn?. in Fisnre i 4 the projecting ends of the hinge pin being en,-

gaged within and slidable longitudinally vof the slots 40 of the ledge I8.

Also formed upon the inner end ofthe plate member 48 is a tongue portion 58 `having an opening in which is hooked one end of a coil spring 60, the other end of which is hooked through the ring 48. The coil spring 60 extends along the tongue 44 and end portion 42 oi the ledge, following the curvatureof said end portion and tongue.

When the ash drawer is in the open position, shown in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 2, the spring 60, tending-to compress, pulls'downfwardly upon the tongue portion 58J causing the Crusher plate to be rocked about the axis ef the 4 pushed inwardly to its closed position shown in Figure 2.

Movement of the drawer to its closed position causes the upper edge of the opening I2 of the instrument panel to cam the plate member 48 downwardly, against the resistance of the spring 60. As the drawer moves inwardly, the cam surfaces'52 are A.engaged by the ,upper edge of the instrumentpanel opening, and cause the crusher plate to be swung downwardly into substantial parallelism with the hat body 32 on which the `cigarette has .been positioned. The cigarette will, asa result, 'be crushed.

Continued movement of the ash drawer in- Wardlyof the `opening I2, causes the lip or abutment .50 to be engaged by the upper edge of the opening ,I2 `o f Ythe instrument panel, and as a result, the hinge pin 56 will be shifted longitudinallyof the slot 40, in the direction of the aperture 38. This will result in the crushed cigarette being engaged by the rolled end portion 54 of the crusherplate, and urged through the aperture V3 8 into the ash drawer IB.

At such time as the device is to be used once again, it is merely necessary that the drawer I6 be pulled to its open position, as a result of which the Crusher plate 2D will be swung upwardly once again, with the body 32 of the ledge will A,be exposed once more, ready .to receive another cigarette.

It is to be noted that the length of the slot 40 is such that when the `abutment or lip L on the plate member 48 of the `crusher plate 20 is placed against the end wall 26 of the ash drawer I8, the rolled .end portion 58 of the plate member 4,8 of the crusher plate v2!) wholly overlies a portion of the aperture 38 in the ledge I8.

It will be readily yapparentthat the construction which we have devised is such as to permit the device to be constructed as an accessory kfor automotive vehicles, which can be ,Substituted for the conventionall ash drawer of a vehicle. Further, it is believed apparent that the particular transverse coniiguration of the device can be varied, .depending upon rthe Y,make of the particular vehicle.

It is believed apparent that the invention is VVnot necessarily kconned to the specio use or -uses thereof described above, since Iit may be vutilized fel' any purpose t0 which A,it may be suited. Nor is the `invention to `be necessarily `lirniteel te the speci-ne eenstrnetienillustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the vinvention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the .scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An ash tray adapted for vmounting on the instrument panel of a vehicle, comprising: an ash tray drawer slidable Yinto and out of ,an opening Yformed in an instrument panel, a flat horizontally disposed ledge mounted in the drawer in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, said led-ge hai/mg an aperture at that end ther-eef adjacent the outer end 0f the drawer, a `hinge ein slidably mounted on said ledge at the other end of the ledge, said hinge ein extending transversely 0i the ledge immediately above the plane thereof, a crusher plate swingably connected to said pin .and including a earn surface enga-geable byan edge o f said instrument panel opening ong-inward .inevernent ef the drawer te can; the erusher plate in the direction of the ledge for the crushing of a cigarette or like object between the ledge and crusher plate, the cam surface terminating in a lip engageable by said edge ofthe instrument panel opening after movement of the crusher plate toward the ledge to initiate sliding movement of the hinge pin and said swingable connection therewith of t'he crusher plate toward the aperture responsive to continued inward movevment of the drawer with the lip engaged by said edge, thus to urge the crushed object through said aperture into the drawer, and yielding means operatively connected to the crusher plate and exerting a continuous, yielding pressure thereagainst tending to swing the same away from the ledge in the open position of the drawer.

2. An ash tray adapted for mounting on the instrument panel of a vehicle, comprising: an ash drawer slidable into and out of an opening formed in an instrument panel, a at horizontally disposed ledge mounted in the drawer in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, said ledge having an aperture at that' end thereof adjacent the outer end of the drawer, said ledge having upwardly extending flanges at opposite sides there of, the anges having slots extending longitudinally of the ledge at the other end of the ledge, a hinge pin having its ends slidably engaged in said slots, said hinge pin extending transversely of the ledge immediately above the plane thereof, a crusher plate swingably connected to said pin and including a cam surface engageable by an edge of said instrument panel opening on inward movement of the drawer to cam the crusher plate in the direction of the ledge for the crushing of a cigarette or like object between the ledge and the crusher plate, the cam surface terminating in a lip engageable by said edge of the instrument panel opening after movement of the crusher plate toward the ledge to initiate sliding movement of the hinge pin within the slot and said swingable connection therewith of the crusher plate toward the aperture responsive to continued inward movement of the drawer with the lip engaged by said edge, thus to urge the crushed object through said aperture into the drawer, and yielding means operatively connected to the crusher plate and exerting a continuous, yielding pressure thereagainst tending to swing the same away from the ledge in the open position of the drawer.

CHARLES O. ENDICOTT. WALLACE W. HOUSER, SR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,626,615 Buroker Jan. 27, 1953 

